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“Hey!” Shell yelled, muffled by Copper’s hand.
“As I was saying—”
Shell rolled her eyes and her hand in a get-on-with-it gesture.
“Thank you. At first, I worried the offer was made out of pity, but Copper assured me it wasn’t. So if that’s the case, and you really want me to become a permanent daily fixture in your lives, I’d love to move into your home and help you raise your precious babies. Nothing would bring me greater joy.”
“Yes!” Shell squealed and clapped her hands as she did a little in-seat wiggle.
“Christ, woman.” Copper stuck a finger in his ear and made a production of pretending he could no longer hear. “You’re screwed if you deafen me. Won’t be able to hear the baby crying in the middle of the night.”
As Cassie chuckled, Shell gave her ol’ man a sweet as pie smile. “Don’t worry dear, I’ll just smack you awake. I’ve got no problem with that.”
“What the hell’s going on over there?” Screw shouted from his booth. “Sounds like something I want to be a part of.”
“Cassie agreed to move in with us!” Her volume didn’t dip in the least despite Copper’s wince.
“Oh, my God, she said yes?” Jazz walked out of her office, leading Makenna whose eyes popped when she took in the sight of four very large, very tattooed, very gruff bikers. Well, three gruff ones and Thunder, who was just a tad too well kept to be considered gruff.
“She did,” Copper snuck in before Shell could shriek yet again. Her frown made him laugh which had her whispering something in his ear. Must have been something good because his gaze darkened and his nostrils flared.
“That’s awesome. I think it’s a great idea for all of you.” As she spoke, Jazz meandered over to her men’s table, leaving Makenna standing by the counter. Poor girl couldn’t have looked more like a fish outta water if she had gills. Just as Cassie was about to call her over, Jazz stopped by her men’s booth. “Hey, everybody, want you to meet the newest member of our little diner family. This is Makenna. Makenna this is just a small portion of our crazy biker family.”
“Uh, hey,” she said, barely above a whisper as she lifted a hand. Her gaze scanned the room quickly passing by each of the men as though she was afraid to linger too long in her perusal. She stood straight as an arrow, ready to snap if someone nudged her.
Unlike the newcomer, no one else in the room had an ounce of reservation when it came to being chatty. And most of the men were pros at talking to the opposite sex. A chorus of “Hey, Makenna’s,” went up followed by a barrage of questions.
What’s your last name?
Are you new in town?
Where’d you move from?
How old are you?
You got a man?
The only person to keep their trap shut was Thunder who watched her with assessing eyes and rapt attention.
If they didn’t back off the poor kid was likely to start crying.
Instead of answering one of the many questions, she stammered and shook her head. “I…uh…”
Cassie hopped up. “Makenna, I’m on my way out. Wanna walk with me?”
“Yes!” Makenna shouted with much more enthusiasm than the situation called for. “Uh, nice to meet you all,” she said in a rush as she speed walked toward the door.
“Mama V, I’ll call you this evening to talk details,” Shell yelled as Cassie followed Makenna. “Nice to meet you, Makenna. Congrats on the job!”
Without turning around, Makenna raised a hand and pushed the door open.
“Bye guys,” Cassie yelled as she hurried after Makenna.
Once outside, she moved to the young woman. “Sorry about them in there. Sometimes they don’t know how to act in polite company.”
“No, it’s all right. They seem great.” Makenna toed a divot in the asphalt while staring down at her foot. “Thank you, Cassie. Not sure why you decided to help me, but I really appreciate it. We—um, I…well, just thank you.”
“I’m so happy to have been able to help. And congrats on the job.” Though sweet and willing to talk, Makenna’s rigid posture and unwillingness to make eye contact gave off the vibe that she couldn’t wait to split. Might as well give the poor girl an out. “I need to run, but you still have my number, right?”
Makenna nodded.
“Great. Use it. I know what it’s like to be the new girl in town.”
The young woman’s head popped up. “Oh, uh…” She shifted as though uncomfortable. Was this woman so unaccustomed to having someone she could count on for help? Someone in her corner?
“For anything. I mean it, Makenna.” Cassie reached out and squeezed her hand. The woman flinched like she’d been stung by a bee. “Especially if you need someone to watch that little cutie you had in the store with you.”
